Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a widow and her son. The son was very lazy, and instead of working hard, he preferred to live off his mother’s earnings. The widow worked in people’s homes, and with the little money she made, they barely managed to get by. One day, the widow fell ill and became very worried about how they would survive without her work. The situation became so bad that they had to go without food.
After some time, the widow gathered enough strength to speak to her son. She said, “You are now old enough to help. How long will we go on like this? Go into the forest, cut some wood, sell it, and with the money, we can at least have enough to eat.”
The son, though lazy, was kind-hearted. He didn’t want to cut down any trees, so he decided that he would first ask the trees if they were willing to be cut. He thought, "I will ask each tree, and the one that agrees, I will cut down."
So, he spent the entire day wandering in the forest, going from tree to tree, asking if he could cut them down. But trees, of course, don’t speak.
By evening, tired and defeated, he was heading home when he saw one last tree. He thought, "Let me ask this one too before I go."
When he asked, to his surprise, the tree responded, “Yes, you may cut me down, but I have one condition.”
The boy asked, “What is your condition? Tell me.”
The tree said, “From my wood, make a magnificent bed, and then take it to the king’s court. When the king asks how much it costs, tell him to use it for two or three days, and whatever price he offers, I will accept.”
The boy agreed and worked hard for several days, crafting a beautiful, magnificent bed from the tree’s wood. Once it was ready, he took it to the king’s court and presented it. The king was very impressed with the bed and wanted to buy it.
The boy, remembering the tree’s words, said, “You may use it for two or three days, and then whatever price you offer, I will accept.”
That night, when the king lay down to sleep, one of the bed’s legs spoke, “The king’s life is in great danger tonight.”
The second leg asked, “How?”
The first leg replied, “A snake is hidden in the king’s shoes.”
The third leg asked, “How can the king be saved?”
The fourth leg answered, “The king should shake his shoes in the morning before putting them on.”
When the king heard all this, he woke up in the morning, shook out his shoes, and found the snake inside. He killed the snake and was so pleased with the bed that he called for the boy instantly, and told him, that “From today, you are employed in my court.”
And from that day on, the boy worked in the royal court, and everyone lived happily ever after. Meeting the enchanted talking tree changed his life for the better!
Source: Recorded in Karachi, as a part of Clicks and Culture, our collaboration with Beaconhouse School System.
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